“We cannot and will not encourage people to bring their children, or other children, to the country unlawfully by giving them immunity in the process,” he said, asserting that families claiming asylum at designated ports of entry, rather than between them, would not be separated.

In April, Sessions ordered U.S. attorneys to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy of criminally prosecuting all border crossers. Because children cannot be held in criminal detention, the order has led to a dramatic spike in family separation at the border.

The Trump administration could end the new policy immediately. In Monday’s speech, Sessions showed little willingness to do so.

Sessions punctuated his speech with a fist pump and, as he has before, with a shout out to the “Anglo-American” history of the institution of sheriffs offices.